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Fall Television Series Reviews
Oct. 3rd, 2015 06:28 pmI love rainy fall Saturdays, when you can sleep in and binge watch television shows all day long.
Made banana nut paeolo muffins this morning, eggs, and turkey sausage, and for lunch falafel salad with bone broth soup.
Anyhow...I've made it through at least six or seven new television shows so far.
So far -- the keepers are: Quantico, The Muppet Show, and Life in Pieces.
Kicking to the curb: Scream Queens and The Grinder
On the fence: India Summers, Blindspot, and most of the ones listed below.
[The problem is there over 115 television series, and I just don't have the time or interest in watching all of them. Also some of them are somewhat similar. Blindspot and Limitless for example.
I prefer distinctive television series that are unpredictable and surprise me.]
Here's the latest:
1. Code Black - it's a hyper-realistic medical drama, reminiscent of ER, but not quite as well written. The dialogue is awkward, skewing towards the cliche. Unworthy of the actors, who are quite good and deserve better. The dialogue needs to be punched up a bit. That said, it has to be the most realistic medical drama that I've seen - I've been inside inner city ER's and they look just like that. Dirty, poorly lit, and crowded.
Code Black signifies too many patients, no time, mile a minute care. Which occurs a lot in huge urban areas. I think this is either an inner city LA or Chicago hospital.
At any rate, it has potential. I found it to be for the most part compelling. But if the dialogue doesn't get better, I may give up on it.
Will try two more episodes.
2. Limitless - also has potential. The conspiracy drup plot, with Bradely Cooper in the role of mysterious benefactor/villain, is sort of silly. But the main characters are interesting, and it has Deb from Dexter playing an FBI agent. Also, I like the concept of a guy, who is a complete loser, totally lost, except when he's on a miracle drug. The miracle drug gives him unlimited potential, he can access any memory and all the functions of his brain -- think absolute focus. Everything is crystal clear. But when he's not on the drug, he's depressed, foggy, and struggling. Can't access everything. The limitations of his body get in the way. So, he becomes addicted to the drug, which has nasty physical side-effects, unless you get a special shot once a year which allows you to metabolize the drug without any of the side-effects. But to get this shot - he can't tell anyone how he got it or who is supplying the drug. (Basically he can't tell them about Bradely Cooper's character.)
The series also stars Ron Rifkin and Blair Brown as his parents in recurring roles.
After he solves a murder for the FBI, the FBI decides to hire him as a consultant, hoping that he'll eventually lead them to his supplier and to the reason why he can metabolize the drug without harmful side effects.
That's the series in a nutshell. It was compelling. But not sure how long that will last.
Will try a couple more episodes
3. Life in Pieces - this is an adult/family situation comedy, with an interesting structure.
Each episode has approximately four short stories. Each act is a different member of the families story, which is then united into the whole. Reminds me a little bit of Parenthood.
For example? The first episode was:
* First Date - the older brother (in his 30s) is dating a woman who just broke up with her fiance, who she's still living with because they bought their apartment together. Her fiancee has no where to go. And she can't afford to buy him out. They try to make out at her place, but the fiancee is there.
So they go to his place, but he's living with his parents, who are there watching a Stephen Segal movie. So they end up in a car - only to be stopped by a cop thinking it's an illegal hookup.
There's a hilarious bit with the parents. The 70 year old dad can't figure out how to put the movie they are watching on "pause". There's too many remotes. At one point, he states that he misses televisions with knobs.
* First Delivery - the younger brother is having his first baby. It goes well. The humor is about well,
the after-effects of giving birth. The Doctor advises them not to have sex for six weeks, and under no circumstances to look down there. "Let's just say, you're tunnel is under construction at the moment. I'll give you something for the pain. And a number of rubber gloves to fill up with water and stick in the fridge. Stick a finger in the vagina, and that will help."
When they are released from the hospital, there's a hilarious bit in the car. When the two parents look at each other, and cannot believe that they've been released. "Why'd they release us so soon?
We barely know what we're doing! They should have their license revoked."
* First Day of College - the parents take their son to college. It has two funny bits.
* The Funeral (the Father, who is a funeral house operator, decides to do his 70th Birthday as his funeral. It doesn't go over well. There's a hilarious bit, where he gets stuck in his own coffin and they have to well him over to the Jiffy-Lube across the street.)
I roared with laughter through it, which is rare for me. This was surprisingly funny. We'll see if that lasts. Also, you don't have to watch every week. It's not serialized.
Definitely watching.
4.) Blood and Oil -- reminds me a little of Dallas and Revenge, except the characters are nicer and it's more drama than soap. Has potential. Attention did wander during it at times.
Basically takes place in the North Dakota Oil fields. Don Johnson plays an older tycoon who ends up brokering a deal with an up and comer. Meanwhile, Johnson's rebel son, is up to no good. Much chaos ensues.
Will see if I stick with it. Maybe two or three more episodes.
[Up next: Heroes Reborn, Minority Report, The Player, and Home Fires]
Made banana nut paeolo muffins this morning, eggs, and turkey sausage, and for lunch falafel salad with bone broth soup.
Anyhow...I've made it through at least six or seven new television shows so far.
So far -- the keepers are: Quantico, The Muppet Show, and Life in Pieces.
Kicking to the curb: Scream Queens and The Grinder
On the fence: India Summers, Blindspot, and most of the ones listed below.
[The problem is there over 115 television series, and I just don't have the time or interest in watching all of them. Also some of them are somewhat similar. Blindspot and Limitless for example.
I prefer distinctive television series that are unpredictable and surprise me.]
Here's the latest:
1. Code Black - it's a hyper-realistic medical drama, reminiscent of ER, but not quite as well written. The dialogue is awkward, skewing towards the cliche. Unworthy of the actors, who are quite good and deserve better. The dialogue needs to be punched up a bit. That said, it has to be the most realistic medical drama that I've seen - I've been inside inner city ER's and they look just like that. Dirty, poorly lit, and crowded.
Code Black signifies too many patients, no time, mile a minute care. Which occurs a lot in huge urban areas. I think this is either an inner city LA or Chicago hospital.
At any rate, it has potential. I found it to be for the most part compelling. But if the dialogue doesn't get better, I may give up on it.
Will try two more episodes.
2. Limitless - also has potential. The conspiracy drup plot, with Bradely Cooper in the role of mysterious benefactor/villain, is sort of silly. But the main characters are interesting, and it has Deb from Dexter playing an FBI agent. Also, I like the concept of a guy, who is a complete loser, totally lost, except when he's on a miracle drug. The miracle drug gives him unlimited potential, he can access any memory and all the functions of his brain -- think absolute focus. Everything is crystal clear. But when he's not on the drug, he's depressed, foggy, and struggling. Can't access everything. The limitations of his body get in the way. So, he becomes addicted to the drug, which has nasty physical side-effects, unless you get a special shot once a year which allows you to metabolize the drug without any of the side-effects. But to get this shot - he can't tell anyone how he got it or who is supplying the drug. (Basically he can't tell them about Bradely Cooper's character.)
The series also stars Ron Rifkin and Blair Brown as his parents in recurring roles.
After he solves a murder for the FBI, the FBI decides to hire him as a consultant, hoping that he'll eventually lead them to his supplier and to the reason why he can metabolize the drug without harmful side effects.
That's the series in a nutshell. It was compelling. But not sure how long that will last.
Will try a couple more episodes
3. Life in Pieces - this is an adult/family situation comedy, with an interesting structure.
Each episode has approximately four short stories. Each act is a different member of the families story, which is then united into the whole. Reminds me a little bit of Parenthood.
For example? The first episode was:
* First Date - the older brother (in his 30s) is dating a woman who just broke up with her fiance, who she's still living with because they bought their apartment together. Her fiancee has no where to go. And she can't afford to buy him out. They try to make out at her place, but the fiancee is there.
So they go to his place, but he's living with his parents, who are there watching a Stephen Segal movie. So they end up in a car - only to be stopped by a cop thinking it's an illegal hookup.
There's a hilarious bit with the parents. The 70 year old dad can't figure out how to put the movie they are watching on "pause". There's too many remotes. At one point, he states that he misses televisions with knobs.
* First Delivery - the younger brother is having his first baby. It goes well. The humor is about well,
the after-effects of giving birth. The Doctor advises them not to have sex for six weeks, and under no circumstances to look down there. "Let's just say, you're tunnel is under construction at the moment. I'll give you something for the pain. And a number of rubber gloves to fill up with water and stick in the fridge. Stick a finger in the vagina, and that will help."
When they are released from the hospital, there's a hilarious bit in the car. When the two parents look at each other, and cannot believe that they've been released. "Why'd they release us so soon?
We barely know what we're doing! They should have their license revoked."
* First Day of College - the parents take their son to college. It has two funny bits.
* The Funeral (the Father, who is a funeral house operator, decides to do his 70th Birthday as his funeral. It doesn't go over well. There's a hilarious bit, where he gets stuck in his own coffin and they have to well him over to the Jiffy-Lube across the street.)
I roared with laughter through it, which is rare for me. This was surprisingly funny. We'll see if that lasts. Also, you don't have to watch every week. It's not serialized.
Definitely watching.
4.) Blood and Oil -- reminds me a little of Dallas and Revenge, except the characters are nicer and it's more drama than soap. Has potential. Attention did wander during it at times.
Basically takes place in the North Dakota Oil fields. Don Johnson plays an older tycoon who ends up brokering a deal with an up and comer. Meanwhile, Johnson's rebel son, is up to no good. Much chaos ensues.
Will see if I stick with it. Maybe two or three more episodes.
[Up next: Heroes Reborn, Minority Report, The Player, and Home Fires]